That’s what we asked three top bartenders, who share their standouts, plus tips for perfecting these drinks at home.
Many of us can remember the best meal we’ve ever had. Given half a chance, we’ll kick off about where we were, who we were with and what was on the plate – and in our glass. We’ll tell it all in great detail, too, whether anyone asks or not. But what about cocktails? Can you remember the best drink you’ve ever had? Has there been a cocktail so delicious and balanced that it made you sit up straight, nod with every sip and savour every last mouthful?
We asked three top bartenders from around the country to tell us about their best-ever cocktail. Because who better to reflect on great drinks than the people who make great drinks for a living?
It’s a tie between two top-tier cocktails for Leah Dunnigan (pictured above, left), the venue manager at Brisbane’s Savile Row. Having previously worked in bars across Sydney, Leah’s picks come from two CBD venues – PS40’s Africola, and Old Love’s seasonal Daiquiris.
The Africola is one of PS40’s signature cocktails (and a cult favourite), with its frozen base of coffee liqueur and housemade native cola topped with a warm coconutty foam. “I’ve always loved an Irish coffee, and seeing it flipped on its head and become essentially an inspiration for creativity, it’s hard not to love the Africola,” she says. As for the Daiquiri, it’s one of Leah’s favourite classic cocktails. “Seeing it stay true to its refreshing sour base twisted with fruit from fresh suppliers keeps it exciting but reliable.”
While these cocktails hit all the high notes, Leah says it goes well beyond just flavour and texture that puts them at the top of her list. “The care of creation from both of those bars and the incredible service that always went along with it makes the drinks feel like a full experience,” she says.
So, has Leah mastered making these cocktails herself? With the Africola being such a unique creation, she says it’s hard to beat. “Leave it to the professionals and get down to PS40,” she says. Still, that cocktail has since inspired her own work, especially when it comes to playing with temperatures. The Daiquiri, however, is her go-to cocktail to whip up at home, so she’s nailed this three-ingredient favourite.
Her tips? “A banging rum, freshly squeezed lime and a small amount of sugarcane syrup make this drink easy, reliable and refreshing every single time.” When it comes to rums, Leah’s a big fan of Queensland’s Canefields and says the Flor De Cana is a good go-to, while the Foursquare Touchstone is “phenomenal” when you want to treat yourself.
When riffing on the Daiquiri, Leah likes to add a little overproof rum and muddle some mango and basil in the shaker. It’s all in keeping with her general philosophy on making great cocktails. “Don’t overthink technicality, and trust simplicity and good fresh flavours.”
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Eduardo Conde’s peak cocktail experience comes from since-shuttered Sydney bar, This Must be the Place. Eduardo (pictured above, middle) worked at the former Oxford Street hotspot, and their Gloss Spritz was particularly eye-opening, as was the style of the bar at the time. The venue was bright, light and Scandi-inspired, when so many venues were dark and moody. And that Spritz, now dating back about 11 years ago, was also ahead of its time.
“I don’t think Spritzes were a thing back then – now you can’t go anywhere without seeing them. But we made a lot of fresh and light cocktails with carbonation,” Eduardo says. “The Gloss Spritz was made with Ketel One Vodka, with a base of housemade strawberry wine and rose water – it was delicious! The strawberries made it nice and tangy, and it was a niche process. It was very popular and visually appealing.”
Originally from Mexico, Eduardo is the venue manager of El Primo Sanchez and the creative lead for Maybe Group. He’s since created variations on that original Spritz, and he says that making your own flavoured wine can actually be easy. “If you get a bottle of riesling, for example, you can infuse some fruit in there, like thinly cut mango, and let it rest for a couple of days. This will add sweetness and acidity. Then you want to filter it as clear as possible – you don’t want any sediment in the liquid, otherwise carbonation doesn’t work. After that, you can make your own carbonated wine – so many people have SodaStreams now – or you can do the same thing with mango soda.”
For Eduardo, the key to a great Spritz is good, fresh ingredients and quality soda, as well as the best ice. “Ice is a huge factor,” he says. “Get a mould for big cubes and use boiling water so your ice isn’t cloudy,” he says. Eduardo also recommends working with familiar flavours if you’re just starting to experiment with Spritzes at home. “Go with a combination that you like, or that you know works. Being curious about flavours is key, just like cooking.” And his most important tip? “If you’re not enjoying making cocktails, you’re doing it wrong.”
Sometimes, simple really is best. Just ask Kd Adams (pictured above, right), part of the founding team behind Perth’s Bar Love. “Although I’ve had some insane cocktails that are creative masterpieces, my favourite modern classic is a simple Paper Plane,” she says. “The first time I ever made one was at a whiskey bar I worked at when I was around 21.”
The Paper Plane, created by Aussie Sam Ross who’s found huge success in the US, is an equal-parts, four-ingredient mix of whiskey, Aperol, amaro and lemon juice. It’s a play on the Last Word, another four-ingredient cocktail of equal parts, but with gin, Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur and lime juice. “I actually assumed I wouldn’t like the Paper Plane because I hated Aperol and anything even slightly bitter at that time in my life,” she says. “This drink introduced me to enjoying bitterness. I think it works because it’s the perfect balance between sour, sweet and bitter. There’s nothing overpowering and it ends up being a perfect blend of flavours.”
One of the great things about the Paper Plane is that it’s so easy to make. “It’s pretty hard to mess this drink up!” Kd says. Despite this, she says a bar once served it in a glass with ice. “Don’t do that! The over-dilution from the ice made it bad. Serve it in a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora glass.” And even though simplicity is the key behind this cocktail, Kd still likes to put a little twist on hers. “People might hate me for this, but I prefer my Paper Plane with Amaro Montenegro. The classic recipe uses Amaro Nonino, which is still a delicious drink, but Montenegro just tastes that little bit better to me.”
Sometimes, Kd will also add slightly more whiskey than the recipe calls for, and switches bourbon for rye whiskey for a bit more kick. But ultimately, the goal is to keep everything balanced – as is the general rule of all cocktails. “A lot of people who are new to making cocktails tend to make their drinks on the sweeter side. I have a huge sweet-tooth, but there’s such a thing as too sweet. Keep it balanced! Also, saline always works.”
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